Chinas Comidas
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Chinas Comidas emerged as one of the pioneering art punk ensembles originating from Seattle, Washington. Established in 1977, the band dissolved in 1980 following their move to Los Angeles. Their sound fused elements of no wave and proto-punk with Cynthia Genser's (lead vocalist) distinctive feminist poetry.
Origins in Seattle
Cynthia Genser (born Kraman), originally from New York, immersed herself in the early punk movement, influenced by acts such as the Ramones, Patti Smith, and Television. Upon relocating to Seattle in the mid-1970s, she engaged with the city's punk underground and formed Chinas Comidas—a name derived from Mexican slang for "Chinese food." The founding roster drew members from local Seattle art-punk outfits like Red Dress and The Tupperwares, including drummer Eldon "El Duce" Hoke, who soon departed to concentrate on his shock rock project, the Mentors. By 1978, the lineup solidified with Genser, guitarist Richard Riggins (formerly of Red Dress), bassist Dag Midtskog, keyboardist Mark Wheaton, and drummer Brock Wheaton.
Chinas Comidas delivered performances that merged musical styles reminiscent of the Clash and Television with Genser’s politically charged feminist verse. Their provocative approach sometimes met with resistance from conventional punk audiences and even staged confrontations. The band frequently performed alongside Seattle underground groups such as the Telepaths (later known as The Blackouts), the Tupperwares (The Screamers), the Beakers, and Red Dress. They also supported touring acts like D.O.A., Black Flag, and Ultravox. Outside of band activities, Genser presented solo poetry readings in collaboration with Seattle beat poet Steven Jesse Bernstein.
Move to Los Angeles
In 1978, Chinas Comidas independently issued their debut EP Peasant/Slave under their label Exquisite Corpse Records, followed by the 7-inch single Snaps (Portrait of a Fan) in 1979. Discontented with Seattle’s constrained late-1970s music environment, the band intended to open for the Dead Kennedys but only managed a single show in Philadelphia before relocating to Los Angeles. Their singles garnered favorable critiques in Slash, a prominent L.A.-based punk fanzine; its editor invited them to record additional material locally. While in Los Angeles, Chinas Comidas performed at venues including Whisky a Go Go and shared stages with Fear, Germs, and Redd Kross. Esteemed figures such as Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth lauded them as "the real deal." Despite positive reception, a potential contract with Slash Records collapsed—allegedly due to the label prioritizing The Go-Go's—leading to the band's breakup in 1980.
Aftermath
Following the group's dissolution, Genser returned to New York City while Riggins moved back to Seattle; other members remained in Los Angeles and collaborated with artists including fellow Seattle transplant Johanna Went. Genser continued her literary pursuits and became an associate professor of English at The College of New Rochelle.
A reunion was organized in 2007 in Seattle coinciding with a CD anthology release featuring both previously issued and unreleased Chinas Comidas recordings; however, Genser was unable to attend due to a family bereavement. Riggins and Midtskog performed at this event. In June 2014, Genser and Riggins took part in When Punk was Punk 1977, an exhibition displaying memorabilia related to the band. They reunited once more in July 2016 for a performance at Fantagraphics Comics and Books during the Georgetown Art Attack festival. In 2018, Spanish label Take the City Records issued a "Chinas Comidas" compilation on vinyl; accompanying this release, Riggins and Genser recorded new tracks and planned European tour dates.
See also
Past members
- Cynthia Genser: lead vocals
- Richard Riggins: guitarist
- Dag Midtskog: bassist (1977–1980)
- Mark Wheaton: keyboardist (1978–1980)
- Brock Wheaton: drummer (1977–1980)
- John Olufs: guitarist (1977)
- Pete Pendras: guitarist (1977)
- Jerry Anderson: bassist (1977)
- Eldon Hoke: drummer (1977)
Discography
- Peasant/Slave (7-inch EP, Exquisite Corpse Records, 1978)
- Snaps (Portrait of a Fan) (7-inch single, Exquisite Corpse, 1979)
- Chinas Comidas (CD compilation, Go Baby, 2007)
- Chinas Comidas (12-inch vinyl, Take the City Records, 2018)